Manhunt after meat cleaver attack

Police are hunting a man after an attack on a woman with a meat cleaver.

Said Dirir, 30, from the Peckham and Camberwell areas of south east London, is considered to be violent and suffers from mental health problems.

Scotland Yard warned the public that under no circumstances should he be approached.

A spokesman said officers needed to speak to him in connection with an extremely violent assault on a 44-year-old woman at a flat in Walworth, south east London overnight on Sunday.

The victim was held against her will in the flat for several hours and suffered serious head and hand injuries defending herself from an attack with a meat cleaver before managing to escape and seek help from police at about 7am.

She remains in hospital. Her condition is not thought to be life-threatening.

The incident is being treated as attempted murder.

Police efforts to locate Dirir have proved unsuccessful so far and the spokesman appealed to anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact police immediately on 999.

Anyone with information could also contact Southwark CID on 020 7232 6195 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.